Relay



C. A. HALE June 21, 1960 RELAY Filed July 15, 1957 [L H n 6 5 2 m 4 M A v 2 0 W 6 4 H 6 6 M n 5 a a 8 4 J x n T II II: 1.1: l|-i| I. w w n Ila/42: w I. m

ATTORNEY tate's Pat RELAY Clarence A. Hale, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor of one-half to Richard Y. Patterson, Tujunga, Calif.

Filed July 15, 1957, SenNo. 672,038

6 Claims. (Cl. 200-104) This invention relates to an improved relay and has for one of its principal objects the provision of a device of the class described, wherein the armature thereof will be semi-automatically located in a predetermined exact operating position, thereby providing a much more efiiciently operating apparatus.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a relay, wherein minor inaccuracies in the construction or assembly of various parts will be either corrected or compensated in the process of assembly, whereby apractically perfect construction results and possibility of failure is practically completely eliminated, even under the most adverse operating conditions. 1

Still another important object of the invention relates to the production of a relay which, regardless of actual size, is particularly compact and therefore requires a minimum of space for operation, while at the same time, another essential, that of light weight, is also accomplished.

Another and still further important object of the invention resides in the particular relationship of necessary parts and thedesired juxtaposition thereof, whereby a greater ease of assembly results, considerably reducing labor costs.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved relay of this invention, illustrating certain essential details.

Figure 2 is a front view of the same as shown in Figure 1, and wherein certain important portions of the construction are shown in section.

Figure 3 is a horizontal view, partly in section, taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the mounting for one of the switches.

Figure 5 is a detail view,partly in section, illustrating the construction of a preferred form of switch for use with the relay of this invention.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates generally the main portion of the supporting frame of the improved relay of this invention, This is somewhat U-shaped, as best shown in Figure l, and'includes an inturned portion 12 to which a soft iron core or pole-piece 14 is attached by means of abolt or the like 16. This core is also U-shaped, as shown in Figure 2, and suitable coils l8 surmount the two portions thereof.

Another portion of the frame 10'is integrally struckout as at 20; and this isv for the purpose of supporting a helical spring 22. The support includes an adjusting screw 24, as shown. The spring 22 is connected to the armature of the relay as shown.

Either integral with or suitably attached to the frame 10 is an upper frame element 30, which comprises plates Patented 'June 21, 1960 or the like, shaped as best shown in Figure 2; and having slots 32 therein as indicated in Figure 1. Each of the plates 30 includes an indented portion 34 having an elongated opening 36 therein for the reception of a bushing or the like 38. It will be noted that the bushing is smaller than the opening 36, and also comprises a bear-' ing for a shaft 40, which shaft in turn supports the armature 42 of the relay and which armature cooperates with the cores 14 of the coils 18.

Switches 50 and 51 are included in the construction and these are of snap-action or over-center type, as best shown in Figure 5. I T

Each switch is mounted on asupport 52 (Figure 4), and a shaft 54 extending through the entire structure (Figure 3) maintains both switches and their supports in such a manner that a slight pivotal action of the same about the center of the shaft 54 is permitted. The shaft 54 is itself fixed in a cross piece 62 fastened in the frame 30, as best shown in Figure 3.

The ends of the supports 52 for the switches 50 and 51 extend into the slots 32 in the frame 30, which slots are slightly longer than the outer dimensions of the ends of the supports 52 (Figure 2). This relationship provides for an adjustment of the parts relatively to each other during the process of assembly; and when proper adjust ment has been accomplished and ascertained by suitable tests, the supports 52 are soldered or otherwise permanently fixed in desired position in the slots 32. The supports 52 are fastened to the switches 50 and 51 by cross bars or shafts 58, all as best shown in Figures 3 and 4. Each switch unit is provided with suitable terminals or binding posts 56 for proper wiring connections.

Referring now to Figure 5, it will be noted that either one of the switches 50 or 51 is what might be described as a snap-action switch, having two fixed terminals or contacts 64 and 66. A leaf spring 68 is fixed inthe switch at 70 with its end provided with contacts 72 adapted to contact either one or the other of the terminals 64 and 66. A U-shaped spring 74 is fitted into the leaf spring 68 in such a manner that a toggle or snap-action results when the spring is operated by pushing or releastion to each other and the other parts of the, relay, "particularly the armature. If it were not for the protuberance, the switch would not operate. This results in the storing. of a certain amount of reserve energy in the switch 51 and its movable contact springs which, when the relay is energized, will assist materially in overcoming initial inertia. Conversely, the same action takes place upon de-energizing but in a lesser and not so important degree. This stored energy or sliding action eliminates the necessity of excess tension on the spring 22.

The forces stored in the springs of the switches 50 and 51 actually counterbalance each other, allowing the use of a smaller force or tension in the spring 22 than would normally .be necessary-in order to return the armature This smaller force allows the relay to operate at a much lower voltage when the coils are energized and comprises an important differential in operation. It has been found by actual experiment that if the switches are not so do sitioned and juxtaposed, a greater voltage is required to" A operatethe relay than is necessary when the switches are;

incorporated into the structure as hereinabove described.

What isherein designated as a snap-action operation can actually comprise any spring arrangement in a switch which may be employed for the same purpose to overcome initial inertia.

. Spring arrangements that may be used for operation of electrical switches, either an integral part of. the spring arrangements or attached thereto by other means, are placed in such a manner in regards to their position with the armature that their acting forces on the movement of the armature are in opposition and thereby cancel, leaving the only integral forces acting on the armature movement to be forces generated by the magnetic pull of the coil core poles, when energized, .and the force in they armature return spring. This requires much less armature return spring force, i.e., magneticv pull to give armature movement. In conventional relay operation it has been necessary to use more force in the armature return spring, i.e., magnetic pull, to overcome the spring force used to operate the electrical contacts.

, This snap-action switch construction comprises-an aiding spring arrangement to the main movable transfer contact blade that aids the contact closing action in the direction of movement of the transfer contact spring, only after travel of the transfer contact spring has passed the center line. The U-spring 74 is always under tension. When the current is turned on, both switches 50 and 51 are operated but in opposite directions. The switch 50 is normally closed and the switch 51 is normally opened in the de-energized position of the relay, and the spring 22 acts to return the armature to normal original position when the current is broken. It will be noted that the adjusting screw 78 in Figure 1 does not contact the armature 42, and the adjustment screw 60 is in contact with the armature because the armature is energized in the position as shown.

The bushings 38 which support the armature shaft 40 are readily movable in their openings 36; and after a final adjustment of the relationship parts has been accomplished and ascertained by suitable tests, the bushings are also soldered or otherwise permanently fixed in final position, thereby eliminating any possibility of inaccuracy or maladjustment.

The proper relationship of the armature to the pole pieces can be determined by visual inspection or by actually causing a flow of current through the coils 18 before the bearings or bushings 38 are permanently fixed in their openings 36. When the proper position of the armature has been thus determined and a final positioning of the bearings with the contained shaft 40 is accomplished, it will. be obvious that future operations of the relay and armature movement will always be absolutely correct, assuming of course that no change in the structure occurs due to excess use or other damage. It will be evident that herein is provided a relay, and a novel method of construction and assembling same, which will semi-automatically produce a substantially exactfinal determination of proper relationship between the operating parts, regardless of original inaccuracies in the components, which inaccuracies will inevitably occur in spite of the most extreme care in original production and intermediate inspection of such components. This is particularly true when the parts are relatively small and adapted for eventual use in important electronic operations. In this work and similar projects, such as atomic research, guided missile construction and the like, extreme accuracy with minimum weight and space is practically always essential; and the relay of this invention will satisfactorily meet those stringent requirements in all details.

Obviously more than two switches can be employed with little or no change in the final construction or eventual operation. When more switches are employed, a different relative positioning of the switches to each other and. to the armature and shaft must be made inorder to produce effective operation. A right angle positioning is preferred but this can also be varied if desired or necessary.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art. v

I claim as my invention:

1. A relay comprising a frame, coils and pole-pieces in the frame, an. armature, switches, connections for same, and means for predetermining and accurately fixing the operating relationship between the pole-pieces and armature, said means comprising a shaft and bearings for the armature, openings in the frame for locating the bearings, said openings being of a greater longitudinal area than the bearings and means for permanently fixing the bearings in desired position in the open ings following a testing operation, the bearing supporting portions of the frame comprising indentations and a single pivotal support for the switches. I

2. A device as described in claim 1, wherein a single pivotal support is provided for the switches.

. 3. A device as described in claim 2, wherein the switches include movable contact springs.

4. A relay comprising a frame, coils and pole-pieces in the frame, an armature, a plurality of switches in the frame; connections for same, and means for predetermining and accurately fixing the operatingrelationship between the pole-pieces and armature, said means comprising a shaft and bearings for the armature, openings in the frame for locating the bearings, said openings being of a greater longitudinal area than the bearings and mean-s for permanently fixing the bearings in desired position in the openings following a testing operation, the bearing supporting portions of the frame comprising indentations anda single pivotal support for the switches, each switch including. a pair of fixed contactpoints and a leaf spring energy transfer blade, the armature including a protuberance for contact with the operating element of at least one of the switches.

5. -A relay comprising a frame, coils and pole-pieces in the frame, an armature, switches, connections for same, and means for predetermining and accurately fixing the operating relationship between the pole-pieces and armature, said means comprising a shaft and bearings, said openings being of a greater longitudinal area than the bearings and means for permanently fixing the hearings in desired position in the openings following a testing operation, the bearing supporting portions of the frame comprising indentations and a single pivotal support for the switches, the switches including supports having end projections, and slots in the frame for receiving the projections, the slots being of a greater extent than the projecting switch supports.

6. A device as described in claim 5, wherein the switches can be moved about their pivotal support for a preliminary adjustment and a later permanent fixing of their end supports in the frame, the switches including movable contact springs.

References Cited in. the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 403,626 Van Epps May 21, 1.889 1,832,477 Callingham Nov. 17, 1931 2,337,251 Knudsen Dec. 21, 1943 2,428,218 I-Ierbst Sept. 30, 1947 2,483,658 Miller Oct. 4, 1949 2,617,950 Lace Nov. 11, 1952 2,743,331 Lauder et a1. Apr. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 142,017 Australia July ,9, 1951 757,088 Great'Britain Sept. 12, 1956 via; a 

